2 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
The Cairo independent cinema giving up-and-coming Egyptian directors a rare space to grow
In the heart of Cairo, a small cinema has, for over a decade, offered a unique space for independent film in a country whose industry is largely dominated by commercial considerations.
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Zawya, meaning 'perspective' in Arabic, has weathered the storm of Egypt's economic upheavals, championing a more artistic approach from the historical heart of the country's golden age of cinema.
Zawya was born in the postrevolutionary artistic fervour of the 2011 uprising that toppled long-time president Hosni Mubarak.
'There was this energy where people wanted to produce and create, not just in cinema, but in all the arts, you could feel it,' says Zawya founder Youssef Shazli.
For over a decade, Zawya has provided a precious space for independent filmmakers to showcase their work. Photo: AFP
In the time since, it has escaped a wave of closures – some forced – of arts centres across the capital.
